Investigators dwindling

Hey Y'all,

Nothing really happened this week, I dont know whats been going on with our investigators but they are dwindling pretty quickly. We met with some less actives this week, and everyone is back from their "Village". We had another lesson with Anand and he is firm in his believes, he said that even if he saw God he wouldn't believe in him, which is sad though during a lesson he said he believes "something" created the world but he doesn't know what. I think he does believe he just doesn't know where to find the truth. He wants to create the perfect "concept, not religion" that will unite everyone. He thinks religion has failed to unite, because as we know there are many differences between Christians vs Muslims vs Jews, and diverse believes in the Christian world alone. I think Macaroni and cheese will be a good concept that unites everyone. Thats all I ate/made this week was Mash Potatoes and Macoroni, We made no bake cookies with the Chilpagiri family, we didn't have butter, the texture of the cookies was dry, but the taste was fine. I dont think the people here like the no bake cookies, they tell us they like them, but I can definitely tell they dont. Which is waay lame because I put on a waaay better show when they give me Indian food. Shiva Rama Krishna isn't doing well at all, he doesnt want anyone from church to visit him for about 5 months, and I have noticed he started to put more Hindu photos up, its so sad to see him in his times of trials, and to see him resort back to his old ways, I hope that he will be better! Anyways that was the week!

Love,

Elder Magnusson ​

Dasara

October 17, 2016

Hey y'all,

Not too much happened this week because of Dasara, Which is like the "goddess" holiday or something. Its kinda like Ganesh Festival but for girls. Its really hard to explain India, I myself cant explain somethings here, even when Im watching them do it. All our investigators were in the "villages" this week. When they say village I believe that means wherever they grew up, or where the majority of their family lives. 

This week we basically visited less actives, and members. The Batula kids sadly wont be baptized on Sunday, and David has plans to move back to his village next month. At church a guy named Anand came in and wanted us to teach him about Jesus Christ. Well he tells us he is Atheist and it blows his mind to the fact that we believe there will be life after this life on earth. He was born Hindu and when I asked him when he became Atheist he said "When I started thinking". He said religion is crap and his goal is to "Kill religion". I thought that was interesting and told him he basically made his own religion that Quote believes in "killing religion". He is a very smart man, and said we are not qualified to teach because we have read the other religious books, such as the Koran or Torah) and because of that we are in darkness. He said he read the Koran and thought it was a waste of his time, and then read the BEGINNING of the Bible, and stopped reading and thought it was also a waste. I told him he too isn't qualified to go to Christian churches and discuss religion and try to "kill it" if he hasnt read the bible and he too would be in darkness. Our conversation was very interesting, it wasn't bashful by any means, this guy is very logical and the basic doctrine of the Christian religion isn't logical to him, I tried to help him realize that the stuff in the Bible isn'l worldly, and he has to think spiritually and that God doesnt have to follow the "rules" or the world and the science that goes with that. Turns out he met with Elder Pereira when he was serving here, and Anand wants to hear more about our believes. He seems like an interesting guy and the lesson with him had more excitment than my normal lessons with investigators. Lessons are more enjoying when people ask questions. I also when on an exchange with Elder Conrad and that was a lot of fun, it could possibly be the last one! We had a great time and ate Mcdonalds.

Love,

Elder Magnusson​

General Conference

October 10, 2016

Hey y'all,

This week was when we watched General Conference in India./ There were a lot of inspired talks, I came to GC with questions and received many answers. I definitely knew it was inspired, because that night we went to Shiva Rama Krishna's who just got back to the hospital because his son had some viral infection (which I think was a lot like what I had earlier) and he was there for 3 days. We didn't even know about the problems he has been having but felt like we needed to visit him. He started crying telling us about what he has been going through, and he that his trials have been non stop, one after another. What I liked is that I had that as one of my questions for General Conference, because I see a lot of suffuring here, and it truly is non stop. I learned that it doesn't matter how long the trial or how frequent they are, but that God is the one in charge and he wants you to come to him. It was a great experience as we shared some of the talks from GC with him to try and help him. We picked up a less active family (Jamadanda's) who have had many problems in their lives, and it was the best to go to their home and see them it the best clothes that they were able to afford and come to General Conference. I think the best part was that night when we were teaching them at their home and during the lesson Deekshith (the son) smacks Elder Wilcox in the face randomly. Apparently there was a mosquito on his face so Deekshith killed it by slapping him, it was quite funny. Other than that just a normal week, sadly the Batula children's baptism will be later and not on the 23rd because they need more time and need to qualify for baptism.

Love,

Elder Magnusson

I have a tractor

October 3, 2016

Hey Y'all,

This week we were able to get some good work in, and it started out by teaching some Hindu people how to pray. Their children (some of them) are converted, and so they in their old age have sought to know truth. We taught them how to pray and they did very well their first try. They live in the Zone Leaders area, so we had to hand them over to them. We have a family in our ward (The Batula's) who are both return missionaries and have 2 kidsSri Shanth (boy), and Denusha (girl). The kids are over 8 years old, so it falls under the missionary's responsibility to teach them. We taught them the basics of the gospel the other day, plus they knew a lot because they are raised in it. We have a baptismal date on the 23rd, of this month, so that'll be great to see. We met with Prince, and we talked about the Plan of Salvation, he explained to us what he thought was gonna happen, and I swear he is in the Luminati, we helped him understand what actually will happen. We saw David this week, and taught him about baptisms for the dead and Temples. He is so worried because his family members are Hindu they wont accept the gospel. But we helped him realize that the Lord has plans for those people, and will give them opportunities to accept it, if they choose to. In India we watch General Conference a week later, so I haven't see it yet, and am excited to hear the Lord's Prophet and apostles counsel us. As David was talking about his family problems he tells us; " I have a tractor, Im the Engine and Gods the Driver", I thought that was funny but also true. WE may be directed by him, but we have to be willing to put in the work to do so. He can steer us, but we gotta be the ones to choose to move. Other then that it was a great week here in Hyderabad, and the rain stopped this past week so thats good. Happy October!

Love,

Elder Magnusson

Year Mark

September 26, 2016

Hey y'all,

This week was a pretty good week and finally hit the good ole halfway point! I have also burnt my shirt, which as y'all may recall at my 6 month mark I burnt a tie. I think this is only a tradition in the Mission I'm serving in, because they never did that when I served in Idaho. This week it has rained a lot! In India when it even sprinkles they shut down everything. Its kinda funny, but in Georgia when we have Ice storms we too shut down everthing, so I can't really boast about anything. They dont build drainage systems so everything floods. 

This week we met a guy named Biju and we went to his home, which turns out to be a church. We found out he is a pastor, and so we shared a Book of Mormon with him, and he was interested to read it. We went back again to talk about prophets and the lesson didn't go very well. He knows only a little bit of English, so he doesn't understand everything we taught. We tried to teach about apostasy in the early church, and he didn't understand it what so ever. We also met a guy named Prasuja, who I've been trying to meet since I've been in this area (5 months). We met with him and he accepted everything we taught, he has been to the church many times in the past and was taught by missionaries a year ago. He lived in the U.S (Madison, WI) for 3 years, so he has great English. I wondered why God wanted me to be in this area for as long as I've been here, and was expecting to be transferred. I would assume its because there is someone here that he wants me to teach and I swear its Prasuja. I asked him what kinds of American foods he liked and he said; "I love Buffalo Wild Wings", in that very moment is when I knew he was the one I have been looking for. The spirit was soo strong in that lesson. Prasuja I too love Buffalo Wild Wings.

We met with a member named Raja this week and his conversion story is awesome. We met him at the local grocery store so he could take us to his home (Indian address systems are basically a description of where they live, an address could be Sterling on the Lake, a green house, with grass, and we have to look for that.) Once we met him at the store he told us he couldn't take us to his home. We asked why? And he responded by saying; "My mother doesn't know I joined the church". Im sure some of y'all could picture what my face looked like when he said that to me. We asked him to explain a little more, turns out he was raised as a Hindu in the Bremen caste (the highest caste in Hinduism) and his mother doesn't know he's a Christian. He said he always believed in God and when he met with the missionaries he told his mom he has work, and so he would meet the missionaries at church. Because of his financial status he didn't have money to go to the church, so he would walk an hour and a half to meet them. Its an awesome story and even to today he tells his mom he has work and ends up coming to church on Sunday. He is struggling financially and basically said "I have to choose whether I feed my mom or whether I feed myself", but he has kept the faith and believes God will help him! He's an awesome member.  

I have thought about this last year and the difference in myself from September 2015 to now, and what I want to be like in September 2017. I was readling from the teachings of President David O. Mckay and it talked about how we can change our nature. I have learned that its the little things that change who we are, just as rain ralls in droplets and thats what creates a flood. A quote I liked was by Llewelyn R. Mckay and it says;" Character springs from the depths of the soul. You think about when you do not have to think, and I'll tell you what you are". I think that is a great quote and hope that I can improve the little things over this next year. That was basically my week, and will see y'all in less than a year. Ill try to send the video of me burning my shirt sometime!

Love,

Elder Magnusson​

Sick

September 19, 2016

Hey y'all,

This week nothing happened mainly because I had the flu. I had to stay in just about everyday, and man is time slow when that happens! I also had a throat virus which wasnt fun either. A lot of church members are sick, so I could of gotten it from them. Transfers happened, and I am still in Madinaguda Hyderabad. My new companion is Elder Wilcox and he is from Oregon (never thought I would be companions with someone from that place). Elder Shuman went to Bangalore, and is on a temporary assignment. Sister Kalyani brought her brother to church so we luckily will now be teaching him. None of our investigators came to church, and this week we're focusing on getting more. My new companion has to get a root canal, so that'll be fun.We had a lock down on the 16th and now since Ganesh Festival is over we can now wear our tags and ties! Other than that nothing happened, but luckily Im no longer sick, so we'll be able to get some good work in this week! Sorry this is so short

Love,

Elder Magnusson  

9/11

September 12, 2016

​​​​​​Hey y'all,
This week was interesting with Ganesh Festival, and it started on Monday when we were on lock down. We just stayed in the apartment, but nothing really happened. It didnt occur till later in the week when thinks went crazy. I was pretty sick all day yesterday, and today, so we stayed in the apartment and as I was trying to get rest there was a bunch of racket going on outside. I look out the window and there was a bunch of drums, music, dancing, and fireworks. Not the most fun when it goes on for 4 hours, right in front of the apartment. And man did it seem so weird watching them, I literally thought it was like some crazy Hindu tribal thing. I have learned this week that Hinduism (to me) is more of a culture than a religion. There were plenty of members that participated in the Ganesh Festival, which didnt make sense because its Idol worship, but I guess they all grow up doing those kinds of events. I learned that the word Bharathi is India in Hindi, and the word India is the English translation. This week in the district we started to have a meeting after each day, and talk about the tender mercies of the Lord that we noticed that day. Its called NASA meeting (Nocturnal Advocate of Spiritual Accomplishment), during that meeting we talked a little bit about 9/11 and the tragedies that happened in 2001. Its a sad time a pray that God blesses those families that were victims to this event. Lately I have been pondering about the Atonement, and we are told that it is sufficient for all. That when we sin we can not only be forgiven, but the guilt will also leave. I know we're told that, but I really pondered if the Atonement is truly sufficient for all. Yesterday during studies I was reading in Enos, where he prays all day and night, and when he does that his sins are forgiven him and his faith in the Lord is "Unshakable". As I read that chapter I realized that the Atonement IS sufficient for all, we just have to have FAITH that it is. I found that interesting, that the was we can access the Strengthening and Enabling power of the Atonement was through our faith. We lastly went to the Furguson's house, they are an American family in Madina Guda 1st ward. We were all invited to have Cinnamon Rolls, and man when we were in there home, I literally stepped into America. They had a spacious home, with 3 levels, plenty of bathrooms and a kitchen that could fit more than 2 people. It was crazy, I know thats normal to y'all but its been awhile since I've had those luxuries. Until next time! 

Love,

Elder Magnusson​